Do you love nursing or hate it???

subee, MSN, CRNA · Jun 16, 2009

I have 4 boys and have been a single mom for a good part of my career. Calling in is never a popular thing to do. I had a lot of peers in nursing school that either got pregnant during nursing school or had a baby during nursing school. If your one of those women that can have a baby one day and go back to work the next thats great, if not WAIT. Get into an ADN program. Its only 2 years and if u have college credits they will transfer which will save u time. A BSN nurse and an ADN nurse make the same--the BSN has more opportunity for management but thats the only difference- Some hospitals offer 25 cents more/hr for a bsn.
Most hospitals ,that I've checked in missouri,your benefits kick in 30days after hire. A few start the day of hire (like a government job) and a few make u wait 90days. If you get pregnant your first day of work your covered throughout your pregnancy. Most of the time FMLA (which ensures your job the full 6wks-12wks maternity leave off) doesn't kick in until after 1 year of employment or 6 months I cant remember.
One other thing....(i know employers arent suppose to discriminate, but....) If you are pregnant when you apply for a job and your not showing....don't tell em until you've secured the job. A. Its non of there business B. It ensures that it wont count against you. No matter what they say if employers have 2 nurses up for the job and they know one will be taking an extended leave...the other will get the job.
If you don't mind me asking....what was your other profession? Where are u looking at working? What made u change careers?

Wow. Its "non of there business." Why women's professions pay less.

psychonaut · Jun 16, 2009

to answer the above question....yes...

Random stuff~

good: pay, hours, intellectual stimulation, personal pride using all of your resources to help your fellow human beings...

bad: pay, hours, intellectual stagnation, fending off death by inflicting painful invasive procedures on babies...

I actually really do love my profession, have pride in calling myself a nurse, and am getting more and more comfortable in my role. Several weeks of really sick patients (aka "train wrecks") is just starting to take it's toll. I'm fine in the thick of it, but it hits me hard when I'm off and can decompress...

To the OP, I went from a lifetime of foodservice to doing something that matters. The good thing is that in food service you don't get to make life-and-death decisions. The bad thing is that ... you get my point.

ysin · Jun 16, 2009

How long have you been a nurse?

I am getting excited because I am gathering info so I can start volunteering at the hospital!

malaski · Jun 16, 2009

ysin,

Well, even though I haven't started working as an official RN (I take my boards this month). I have to say that I do miss design already. I however, do not ever want to work as a designer in a corporate environment again. If I do go back into fashion, I would like to start my own personal line, but I do not wish to do it for a paycheck. I would like to design in my spare time - as a nurse you can do this - you work 3 days a week. That's one thing that attracted me to the job as well.

anonymurse · Jun 16, 2009

You may as well ask if a person loves life or not. Or whether they can accept reality as it is instead of going nuts because it doesn't fit their preconceived ideas of how things should be. I'm asked regularly whether anything fazes me. And I come home wondering more often than not why I always end up with great pts and other nurses always get the awful ones. But now I think it's that I've lived through more than most new grads and I've come to grips with it. Nursing seems to attract more than its share of people who want to change the world, but life has taught me that the only part of the world I truly control and can change is the few CCs of semiliquid stuff between my ears. Seems to make all the difference. Sure, a few pts frustrate me--those who think it's all an attention-getting game, and don't realize that by refusing to do for themselves, they're putting their recovery in real jeopardy. But I'm working on that, too. Oddly, by letting it be all about my pts, by meeting them where they are, not where I want them to be, I'm most true to myself. So I don't find nursing, the way I interface with my pts, in the least compromising who I am or what I stand for.

ASSEDO · Jun 17, 2009

I have no shame in saying that nursing is not a very good profession. The pay is too low for the responsibility we have and the daily chronic abuse is beyond belief. I have been in this profession for 40 years. It has gone downhill from day one. There is no voice in the profession. If please read, Nursing Against thel Odds, how healthcare cost cutting, media sterotypes, and medical hubris undermine nurses and patient care. It is the culture that nurses have been unable to change, and I blame this on lack of unity, unions, and lazy nursing association.

ysin · Jun 24, 2009

thanks for the posts!

gentle · Jun 24, 2009

by letting it be all about my pts, by meeting them where they are, not where I want them to be, I'm most true to myself. So I don't find nursing, the way I interface with my pts, in the least compromising who I am or what I stand for.

And this is why I love nursing. And yes, indeed I am most true to myself. Thanks anonymurse, I couldn't have said that better.

ysin,

Yes, there are definitely work environments which are toxic enough to almost kill you or push you to the limit of wanting to hurt someone else. I never thought I would even say that but I did experience it. When you get into that situation, find the door, and leave. Do not go back. Do not turn around, unless it is to say to your friends that you love them and wish them well.

In nursing especially, you must be careful of toxic work environments. The level of toxicity will depend upon what you are willing to put up with and the amount of whatever foolishness bothers your values, etc. Once individuals are beginning to encroach upon your line, start looking for other employment. Meanwhile try to find ways to let people know that they are nearing your boundary. If they back off, then good. If not, then it is time to move on. Again keep in mind, to be aware of what is happening ahead of time. This will not happen easily for new nurses and you are more than welcome to post asking questions here. Everyone is very good about giving helpful feedback and viewpoints of how to navigate situations.

I really hope the post makes sense to you. best wishes.

PeachPie · Jun 24, 2009

I hate the healthcare field, I hate how nurses are treated, and I'm jumping off this sinking ship. This spring, I'm going back to school for a degree in IT.